Low Levels of NH Foreclosures Expected to Continue – for Now
BY JAY FITZGERALD REGISTRY REVIEW STAFF
ew Hampshire’s super-low foreclosure rate is bucking the national trend – so far. According to Attom, a real estate analytics firm, U.S. foreclosure activity in August was up by 18 percent compared to the year prior, with 35,697 properties hit by default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions.
Though the numbers are still below prepandemic levels, August was the third straight month of double-digit increases in foreclosure activity across the country, according to data.
Nevada was the hardest-hit state – with foreclosure activity hitting one out of every 2,069 housing units in August, according to data. South Carolina (one in 2,152 housing units) and Florida (one in 2,512 housing units) had the second and third highest foreclosure activity in August, respectively.
And New Hampshire?
The state’s foreclosure activity was actually down by 46 percent in August compared to the year prior, from 133 filings in 2024 to 71 filings in 2025.
It ranked 43rd in foreclosure activity in the U.S. – with one filing for every 9,074 housing units in the state, according to Attom.
An analysis of data by The Warren Group, publisher of The Registry Review, shows a similar year-to-date decline in foreclosure activity in New Hampshire.
Foreclosure auction notices fell by 16.18 percent through the first eight months of the
year, compared to the same period in 2024; foreclosure deeds recorded at the state’s registries of deeds tumbled by 13.5 percent year-todate through August, according to data.
So why is New Hampshire such an outlier?
Experts say a variety of factors can influence foreclosure activity from state to state.
In the case of New Hampshire, the local economy is exceptionally strong, with a 3 percent jobless rate compared to the nation’s 4.3 percent unemployment rate.
New Hampshire also has a high median household income of roughly $100,000, more than 20 percent higher than the U.S. median
household income, according to U.S. Census data. But New Hampshire’s biggest housingmarket negative may also be helping keep the state’s foreclosure activity low: the notoriously low supply of homes for sale.
Price Escalation Helps Sellers
Elissa Margolin, director of the Initiative for Housing Policy and Practice at Saint Anselm College, said foreclosures usually occur when homeowners find themselves in a financial crisis, whether it’s caused by someone losing a job or enduring a costly health-care emergency.
Continued on Page 12
A recent analysis by real estate data firm Attom found New Hampshire had one of the lowest instances of foreclosure in the nation.
County Close-Up Coos
Coos County’s name comes from a word in the indigenous Abenaki language meaning “pine trees.”
Belknap County
Judith A. McGrath, Registrar 64 Court St, Laconia, NH, 03246
603-527-5420
Alton
▶ REAL ESTATE SALES
BOAT COVE RD $60,000
B: Contemporary Adirondack E
BAddr: Po Box 241 LACONIA NH 03247
S: Nancy A Bell
Bk/Page: 3704/296, Date: 09/19/25
NO STREET GIVEN $265,066
B: John Flanagan 3rd & Stacie Flanagan
BAddr: 27 Pipers Point Ln ALTON NH 03809
S: David S Lee, Tr for Lucinda H Lee 1999 T
Bk/Page: 3703/305, Date: 09/15/25
NO STREET GIVEN $250,000
B: Stephen J Spicer, Tr for Sjs RET
BAddr: 9 Orchard Ln ALTON NH 03809
S: David S Lee, Tr for Lucinda H Lee 1999 T
Bk/Page: 3703/149, Date: 09/15/25 NO STREET GIVEN L:22A $460,000
B: Richard Dame & Cynthia Dame
BAddr: 36 Verney Rd ALTON NH 03809
S: Ronald K Eisenwinter
Bk/Page: 3703/220, Date: 09/15/25
Barnstead
▶ REAL ESTATE SALES
PROVINCE RD $315,000
B: Jacob Lammott & Bethany Lammott
BAddr: 131 Colbath Rd BARNSTEAD NH 03225
S: Sarah Trask, Tr for Wolcott Margery K Est
Bk/Page: 3703/110, Date: 09/15/25
36 SHACKFORD CORNER RD $65,066
B: James Dodge
BAddr: 136 Winant Rd PITTSFIELD NH 03263
S: Tiede Farms Smokehouse LL
Bk/Page: 3704/262, Date: 09/19/25
Mtg: David Tiede $70,000 Use: Residential Open Land, Lot: 43560sf Prior Sale: $15,000 (06/16)
NO STREET GIVEN $310,000
B: Michelle R Margetta
BAddr: 25481 Mina Ct LAKE FOREST CA 92630
S: Jml Properties LLC
Bk/Page: 3703/631, Date: 09/16/25
NO STREET GIVEN $350,000
B: Jonathan M Prince
BAddr: 53 Tioga Rd CANTERBURY NH 03224
S: Michael Perry
Bk/Page: 3703/684, Date: 09/16/25 Belmont
▶ REAL ESTATE SALES
4 LEISURE LN $329,933
B: Justin Mitza
BAddr: 130 Borough St CONCORD NH 03303
S: Pavnick Re Holdings LLC
Bk/Page: 3703/360, Date: 09/16/25
Mtg: Mega Cap Funding Llc $323,924
Term: 2055
Use: Mobile Home, Lot: 9017sf Prior Sale: $62,500 (04/24)
S: Todd G Engelsen, Tr for Engelsen Ft Bk/Page: 3704/399, Date: 09/19/25
Mtg: CMG Mortgage Inc $257,500 Term: 2055
Use: 3 Bdrm Ranch, Lot: 24394sf
2696 LAKE SHORE RD U:67 $725,000
B: Laura Chabot
B: Townes M Harris 3rd & Kurt Brungardt BAddr: 80 Countryside Dr GILFORD NH 03249
S: Jeannette Zaza & Jim Zaza
Bk/Page: 3703/145, Date: 09/15/25 NO STREET GIVEN $880,000
B: Daniel N Maynard
BAddr: 50 Welch Is GILFORD NH 03249
S: Wendy G Shermet, Tr for Shermet Burrell Ft Bk/Page: 3703/197, Date: 09/15/25 NO STREET GIVEN $76,533
B: Michaela M Copeland & Anthony C Copeland
BAddr: 14 Brookhurst Ln E MEREDITH NH 03253
S: William Mootrey, Tr for Mootrey Ft
Bk/Page: 3704/92, Date: 09/18/25
Gilmanton
▶ REAL ESTATE SALES
126 OAKCREST LN $850,000
B: Jordan Pacheco & Nicole Pacheco
BAddr: 21 Willow St E PROVIDENCE RI 02915
S: Michael C Griffeth, Tr for Michael C Griffeth RET
Bk/Page: 3703/935, Date: 09/17/25
Mtg: Rocket Mortgage LLC $680,000
Term: 2055
Use: 2Fam-5Fam Residence, Lot: 110642sf
Laconia
▶ REAL ESTATE SALES
HILLIARD RD $395,000
B: Water View Properties LLC
BAddr: 453 White Oaks Rd LACONIA NH 03246
S: Robin R Bishop & Nahed Bishop
Bk/Page: 3704/353, Date: 09/19/25
18 MITCHELL PL $510,000
B: Gregory Sherwin & Krystal Sherwin
BAddr: 20 Pulpit Rd NEW BOSTON NH 03070
S: Jessica R Shoemaker, Tr for Jessica & B Shoemaker RET
Bk/Page: 3704/361, Date: 09/19/25
Mtg: Envoy Mtg LTD $408,000 Term: 2055
Use: 2-Family Two Family, Lot: 4270sf
71 NATURES VIEW DR $675,000
B: Mark W Wilder, Tr for Wilder T
BAddr: 37 Rainbow Dr LONDONDERRY NH 03053
S: Denise E Cantin & Zachary Cantin
Bk/Page: 3704/185, Date: 09/18/25
Use: 3 Bdrm Cape Cod, Lot: 9504sf
Prior Sale: $296,933 (05/16)
110 SPRING ST $165,000
B: Robert Jenkins & Ava Jenkins
BAddr: 110 Spring St LACONIA NH 03246
S: David J Jenkins
Bk/Page: 3703/389, Date: 09/16/25
Use: 2 Bdrm Conventional, Lot: 2880sf
Prior Sale: $76,000 (12/01)
50 STARK ST $360,000
B: Ely Hefner
BAddr: 37 Upham St ROCHESTER NH 03867
S: Zos Hld LLC
Bk/Page: 3704/301, Date: 09/19/25
Mtg: Service Credit Union $360,000
Term: 2055
Use: 3 Bdrm Bngl/Cottage, Lot: 13750sf
Prior Sale: $320,000 (08/23)
17 VAN DYKE DR $412,000
B: Union Ave Rentals LLC
BAddr: 523 Main St LACONIA NH 03246
S: Tc Capital Management LLC
Bk/Page: 3703/283, Date: 09/15/25
Mtg: Raymond C Green Inc $1,000,000
Use: 3 Bdrm Bngl/Cottage, Lot: 37899sf
Prior Sale: $165,000 (07/20)
25 WILDWOOD RD U:25 $510,000
B: Emery A Swanson Jr & Susan M Swanson
BAddr: 66 Landing Ln 109 LACONIA NH 03246
S: Timothy J Fay, Tr for Timothy J Fay RET
Bk/Page: 3704/97, Date: 09/18/25
Mtg: Everett Financial $200,000 Term: 2055
Use: 2 Bdrm Condo Prior Sale: $239,000 (12/19)
183 WINTER ST $375,000
B: Justin D Spaulding & Dani J Spaulding
BAddr: 94 Fisherville Rd CONCORD NH 03303
S: Aaron K Mcqueen & Meagan L Mcqueen
Bk/Page: 3703/902, Date: 09/17/25
Mtg: HarborOne Mortgage $368,207
Term: 2055
Use: 4 Bdrm Cape Cod, Lot: 11761sf
Prior Sale: $45,000 (01/17)
NO STREET GIVEN $1,195,000
B: Joseph Chiapponi & Tamara A Chiapponi
BAddr: 38 Hayden Holw PLYMOUTH MA 02360
S: Russell C Dedoming
Bk/Page: 3704/340, Date: 09/19/25
Meredith
▶ REAL ESTATE SALES
78 SWAIN RD $1,446,000
B: Benjamin Livermore & Amy Bantham
BAddr: 52 Rayburn Rd BELMONT MA 02478
S: Elm Street North LLC
Bk/Page: 3703/224, Date: 09/15/25
Use: 3 Bdrm Ranch, Lot: 38768sf
Prior Sale: $654,333 (08/18)
New Hampton
▶ REAL ESTATE SALES
MOUNTAIN VISTA DR $160,000
B: Barry Homes LLC
BAddr: 10 Chestnut Dr Ste E BEDFORD NH 03110
S: Christopher Berube
Bk/Page: 3703/780, Date: 09/17/25 NO STREET GIVEN $644,333
B: Jeremy R Clark & Brianna A Clark
BAddr: Po Box 626 ASHLAND NH 03217
S: Ellen Nash, Tr for Virgin Ft
Bk/Page: 3703/504, Date: 09/16/25
Sanbornton
▶ REAL ESTATE SALES
683 HUNKINS POND RD $340,000
B: Tracie L Williams & Timothy C Cilley
BAddr: 293 Walnut St 2 MANCHESTER NH 03104
S: Patricia A Merriam
Bk/Page: 3704/421, Date: 09/19/25
Mtg: Northpointe Bank $340,000
Term: 2055 Use: 2 Bdrm Ranch, Lot: 43560sf NO STREET GIVEN $310,000
B: Lisa Roebuck
S: Jessica D Cordoba, Tr for Timko Ft
Bk/Page: 3703/323, Date: 09/15/25
Tilton
▶ REAL ESTATE SALES
9 WINNISQUAM SHRS U:9 $235,000
B: Michael Ballou 2nd & Danielle Ballou
BAddr: 4 Lalia Ln BILLERICA MA 01821
S: Elaine T Brigman & Frank M Tortora
Bk/Page: 3703/977, Date: 09/17/25
Mtg: United Wholesale Mtg $176,250
Term: 2055
Use: 2 Bdrm Condo
Carroll County
Lisa Scott, Registrar 95 Water Village Rd (Rte 171), Ossipee, NH, 03864
603-539-4872
Bartlett
▶ REAL ESTATE SALES
BIRCH LEDGE RD
B: William T Beaton, Tr for Beaton Ft
$1,080,000
BAddr: 301 Center St GROVELAND MA 01834
S: Gaye E Gould, Tr for Gaye Elizabeth Gould RET
Bk/Page: 3841/851, Date: 09/15/25
NO STREET GIVEN
B: Brouillard Properties LLC
How to Read The Real Estate Records
The information appearing in this newspaper is taken from deed and mortgage documents filed at each of the ten registries of deeds in the state. All property transfers with a sales price of at least $100 and all term-mortgage documents are collected.
Whenever possible, we combine the separate deed and mortgage documents so that we can present one complete record of the street address, purchase price, lender and mortgage amount. When we cannot link a deed with a mortgage (and vice versa) each transaction appears individually.
Real estate records are organized alphabetically by registry, then town, then by street name.
The amount appearing on the same line as the street address is the purchase price from the deed. We print “No Amt Given” when the amount did not appear on the document we review. “No Street Given” appears in place of the street address when it was not available.
The volume, page of the deed and filing date appear for all sales.
$740,000
BAddr: 273 South St BIDDEFORD ME 04055
S: Cheryl R Heal
Bk/Page: 3842/76, Date: 09/16/25
NO STREET GIVEN $525,000
B: Rugg Real Estate LLC
BAddr: 14 Front St EXETER NH 03833
S: Kirstie R Simpson & Brendan F Murphy
Bk/Page: 3842/636, Date: 09/19/25
NO STREET GIVEN
B: 10 Rocky River LLC
The mortgage lender and the amount of the mortgage used to purchase the property are shown.
Any second mortgage (Mtg2) filed at the same time as the deed will also appear here.
• The first two buyer (B) names and seller (S) names listed on the deed are shown.
• Prior sale data appears only when the address of the new sale matches exactly with the address of the older sale in our database.
$363,000
BAddr: 1225 N King St Suite 600 WILMINGTON DE 19801
S: Brian Harrington & Paula Harrington
Bk/Page: 3842/21, Date: 09/16/25
Chatham
▶ REAL ESTATE SALES
NO STREET GIVEN $190,000
B: Tammy L Gagnon
BAddr: Po Box 1013 YARMOUTH MA 02664
S: Jonathan L Logan
Bk/Page: 3841/948, Date: 09/16/25
Conway
▶ REAL ESTATE SALES
180 ASH ST $515,000
B: Arfry M Marcelino-Tineo & Danielle A Barry
BAddr: 335 Bay Rd NORTH EASTON MA 02356
S: Richard A Johnson
Bk/Page: 3841/666, Date: 09/15/25
Mtg: Cross Country Mtg Inc $463,500
Term: 2055
Use: 3 Bdrm, Lot: 23522sf
Prior Sale: $38,000 (03/98)
235 SKIMOBILE RD U:2202 $710,000
B: Michael Commerford & Erin Commerford
BAddr: 19 Stark Dr BO NH 03304
S: Evan J Stoell & Jessica M Stoell
Bk/Page: 3842/639, Date: 09/19/25
Mtg: Camden National Bank $568,000
Term: 2055
Use: 2 Bdrm Condo
Prior Sale: $445,000 (12/20)
NO STREET GIVEN $115,000
B: Timothy Batees, Tr for Td Bates Ft
BAddr: 3003 White Mountain Hwy NORTH CONWAY NH 03860
S: Lawrence W Cassidy & Nancy W Cassidy
Bk/Page: 3842/503, Date: 09/19/25 NO STREET GIVEN $345,000
In communities where we have a file of all properties from the assessor’s office, we provide additional property details when available. This is done by exactly matching the address and seller name from the new sales record with the address and owner name found in the property file. No descriptive data appears whenever there is any doubt that the two records are the same property.
The “Use” is based on the code the assessor assigns to each building on a parcel. Whenever there is more than one use code or more than one building on a parcel, we flag these as “Multi-use” and “Multi-bldg” respectively.
These deeds transfer title to the lender after the mortgage is foreclosed (unless there is a higher bidder at the auction.) The amount in these transactions is usually the amount of the outstanding mortgage that was foreclosed.
• “Use” distinguishes residential homes from land sales and commercial sales.
• For residential homes, the number of bedrooms and house style appear when available
• The lot size (Lot) is shown in square feet.
▶ FORECLOSURE DEEDS
• The prior sale shows the original price paid for the property.
Please note: The information contained in this newspaper is taken from public records. While every precaution is taken, no responsibility is assumed for errors or omissions. Readers should confirm any information before taking action.
KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS
KEY TO LABELS
B = Buyer
S = Seller
Mtg = Mortgage lender and amount
Mtg2 = Second Mortgage
Use = Building use
Bdrm = bedrooms
Lot = lot size in square feet YTD = year-to-date
Notice To Readers
LP = Limited Partnership Tr = Trustee
T = Trust
IRT = Irrevocable Trust
The information published in The Registry Review is taken from public and other records.
The Warren Group takes reasonable steps to provide an accurate publication, however, The Warren Group has not investigated the accuracy of the source records and does not guarantee the accuracy of those records or any part of the transcription and publishing process.
The Warren Group cautions you that public records may not reflect actual circumstances, and that the meaning of public records may be obscure. In addition, the conditions existing when a public record is filed may change with the passage of time. By accepting and using The Registry Review, you agree to use this publication for information only and only as a reference to the public records. You further agree to independently verify any published information which affects you before taking any action, forming opinions or otherwise relying on the published information in any way.
Publication of any category or item of information is dependent upon that information continuing to be reasonably available in the public records. The Warren Group assumes no responsibility for changes in public policy which may affect the availability of public information. The Warren Group assumes no financial responsibility for typographical errors.
The Registry Review ISSN 1067-0521
Published by: The Warren Group, 2 Corporation Way, Suite 250, Peabody, MA 01960
Publisher: Timothy M. Warren, Jr. President & CEO: David B. Lovins
Associate Publisher: Cassidy Norton
The Registry Review is published every Monday for $229.00 per year. Periodicals Postage paid in Boston, MA USPS #536710 and additional mail offices.
When Should Buyers Demand Repairs, or Seek Credits?
BY LEW SICHELMAN SPECIAL TO THE REGISTRY REVIEW
There comes a time in most house sales when the buyer and seller have to decide who will pay for any necessary repairs.
Who should take care of it? As with all real estate matters, it depends.
Let’s say the inspection revealed a number of problems: The roof is leaking into the attic, the dryer’s door doesn’t shut properly, a few windows are painted shut, the water heater is on its last legs and several window screens are missing or torn.
The buyer and seller agree that the most egregious of these items must be addressed. But who’s going to pay for the work?
Sellers Often Spend Too Little
Certainly, most buyers want the place move-in ready: no balky air conditioner, clanging pipes or half-working stove to deal with. Consequently, buyers tend to ask sellers to cover these repairs. But that’s not always the best option, according to many realty professionals: They say it’s often better to ask the seller for a credit at closing to cover the cost of the needed fixes.
“I usually recommend that my buyers request a credit instead of a repair,” said Illinois agent Alan May on the ActiveRain website.
“The sellers, when doing a repair, will do so as cheaply as they can. As the newest owner of the property, you want to make sure the repair is done to your satisfaction.”
Therein lies the first rub. Sellers tend to spend as little as they can on the necessary fixes. Some even attempt to do the work themselves to save more.
“For sellers, repairs are often just another task to complete before the sale,” said Minnesota agent Bob Elliot. “No one will put more care and attention into fixing a new home than the buyers themselves.”
Buyers who still want the sellers to handle repairs should stipulate in the contract that repairs must be done by licensed professionals, and that paid invoices must be provided at closing. Also, there should be a time limit in which the repairs must be completed.
Without such a proviso, buyers leave themselves open to lousy or even faulty workmanship, which they will have to deal with after they move in. And without a time limit, closing could be delayed for weeks if the sellers drag their feet.
Sellers, on the other hand, are usually already focused on their next homes and don’t want to be bothered with repairing the ones they’re about to leave. So it is often worth it to part with some money at closing and walk away scot-free.
But sellers shouldn’t agree to an amount
until they have a fair idea of what the requested fixes would actually cost. They should obtain estimates on their own – as should buyers, to make sure they are not undervaluing the cost. Otherwise, one side or the other may give away too much.
Both parties also need to be “very specific about what is expected and what will be done,” advises Hawaii agent Georgie Hunter. “You had better keep a written record of every detail and conversation.”
Make Sure Lenders Will Play Ball
Buyers, meanwhile, should make certain their lenders will accept credits at closing for repairs. Some, like FHA-insured and VAguaranteed loans, won’t. Indeed, the FHA won’t fund a loan unless the repairs are complete and paid invoices from licensed contractors are submitted to underwriters.
That brings to the table another option: The sellers can lower their price to match the amount on which they and the buyers agree is enough to cover the needed repairs. Unfortunately, that choice doesn’t put any cash into the buyer’s hands to get the work done. So if money is tight, it might be best to allow the seller to make the repairs.
Don’t just hope for the best: Be very descriptive in your requirements, demand that licensed contractors do the work (no handy homeowner fixes allowed), and ask for paid
invoices to be presented at closing. Realize, though, you cannot require that repairs be made over and above what is called for in your local building codes.
Seek a Reinspection
Before settlement, have the place reinspected to make sure the repairs were done correctly. If possible, it is best to hire the original home inspector who flagged the flaws in the first place.
Visually, the fixes “may not be what you had in mind,” warns Virginia agent Pam Dent. But as long as everything is up to code, you’re good to proceed.
If not, or if the repairs were not completed in the allotted time frame, the buyer has several choices: Postpone closing until the repairs are completed; ask the seller to put funds in escrow to cover the costs; request a credit from the seller to complete the work; or renegotiate what has to be done.
Obviously, this all involves a lot of giveand-take between the parties. You can always call it quits and move on, but don’t give up without trying to strike a deal. Take a deep breath and keep at it.
You’ve come this far, said Tennessee agent Tammie White, so don’t allow “a knee-jerk reaction to cost you the home of your dreams.” Lew Sichelman has been covering real estate for more than 50 years. He is a regular contributor to numerous shelter magazines and housing and housing-finance industry publications. Readers can contact him at lsichelman@aol.com.
Profit Margin on Flips Drops to 17-Year Low
BY ALEX VEIGA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
t pays less and less to
From April through June, the typical American home flipped by an investor resulted in a 25.1 percent return on investment, before expenses. That’s the lowest profit margin for such transactions since 2008, according to an analysis by Attom, a real estate data company.
Gross profits – the difference between what an investor paid for a property and what it sold for – fell 13.6 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier to $65,300, the firm said. Attom’s analysis defines a flipped home as a property that sells within 12 months of the last time it sold.
In New Hampshire, Attom’s analysis found 211 flips in the second quarter, with a median gross profit of $65,000, down from $88,000 at the same time last year. The analysis found an median gross return on the home’s purchase price of 14.4 percent, down from 21.4 percent in the second quarter of 2024.
Home flippers buy a home, typically with cash, then pay for any repairs or upgrades needed to spruce up the property before putting it back on the market.
The shrinking profitability for home flipping is largely due to home prices, which continue to climb nationally, albeit at a slower pace, driving up acquisition costs for investors.
“We’re seeing very low profit margins from home flipping because of the historically high cost of homes,” Rob Barber, Attom’s CEO, said in a statement. “The initial buy-in for properties that are ideal for flipping, often lower priced homes that may need some work, keeps going up.”
The median price of a home flipped in the second quarter was bought by an investor for $259,700, a record high according to data going back to 2000, according to Attom.
The median sales price of flipped homes was $325,000, unchanged from the first quarter, the firm said.
A chronic shortage of homes on the market and heightened competition for lower-priced properties are also helping drive up investors’ acquisition costs.
Home flipping profits have declined for more than a decade as home prices rose along with the housing market’s recovery from the housing crash in the late 2000s.
Consider, in the fall of 2012, the typical flipped American home netted a 62.9 percent return on investment before expenses, Attom said.
Even as home flipping has become less profitable, such transactions remain widespread.
Some 78,621 single-family homes and condos were flipped in the April-June quarter, accounting for 7.4 percent of all home sales during the quarter – a slight decline from both the first quarter and the second quarter of 2024, according to Attom.
The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump since early 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes sank last year to their lowest level in nearly 30 years. Sales have remained sluggish this year as mortgage rates, until recently, remained elevated.
As home sales have slowed, properties are taking longer to sell. That’s led to a sharply higher inventory of homes on the market, benefiting investors and other home shoppers who can afford to bypass current mortgage rates by paying in cash or tapping home equity gains.
With many aspiring homeowners priced out of the market, real estate investors –whether those looking to buy and rent or home flippers – are taking up a bigger share of U.S. home sales overall.
Some 33 percent of all homes sold in the second quarter were bought by investors -- the highest share in at least five years, according to a report by real estate data provider BatchData.
Between 2020 and 2023, the share of homes bought by investors averaged 18.5 percent.
All told, investors bought 345,752 homes nationwide in the April-June quarter, an increase of 15 percent from the first quarter, but a 12 percent decline from the same period last year, the firm said.
Apartments Proposed on Portsmouth Dealership Lot
BY JAMES SANNA REGISTRY REVIEW STAFF
The owner of a Portsmouth car dealership, who is also a developer, has filed plans with city officials for an apartment building on a portion of his dealership’s lot.
Anthony DiLorenzo is seeking permission to build 48 units in a 4-story mixed-use building whose ground floor would be made up of retail space.
DiLorenzo owns Portsmouth Chevy, which sits on an 18-acre lot near Portsmouth’s traffic circle, and hopes to put his new development on a portion of that property at 549 Route 1 Bypass.
An outbuilding containing a 3,000-squarefoot coffee shop with a drive-through could become a contentious part of the proposal, however.
At a recent Portsmouth Planning Board meeting, the development team was told that, because the project includes more than one “principal building” it would need to abide by the city’s 20 percent workforce housing requirement.
DiLorenzo’s is the second new apartment building proposed in Portsmouth in recent days.
Prolific local developer Mark McNabb has filed plans with the city for a 55-unit “co-living” apartment building in the city’s downtown.
The 134 Pleasant St. site includes a former Citizens Bank branch, which would be renovated and leased to Kennebunk Savings Bank if the project is approved.
Co-living housing, allowed under a section of Portsmouth’s zoning code approved in May and championed by McNabb, combines private rooms for sleeping with larger-thannormal common areas.
The net effect is to allow larger numbers of single individuals – particularly younger service industry workers – to share each apartment, lowering their individual housing costs, while still giving each tenant adequate elbow room.
For example, the second floor of the Pleasant Street project includes 17 bedroom “sleeping units,” two with ensuite bathrooms, grouped around a large, shared common space that includes a kitchen, lounge area and nine additional bathrooms, plans show. Co-living projects still require a conditional use permit, and are limited to 40 residents per floor.
McNabb is also seeking city permission to convert one of his approved projects elsewhere in downtown Portsmouth to co-living. City officials OK’d an earlier, more traditional iteration of McNabb’s plans this year for a residential conversion of a former department store building at 15 Congress St.
But in a housing market in which demand is high and supply is low, people in financial trouble can always quickly sell their homes – and maybe even make a tidy equity profit after bills are paid due to escalating home values.
“There’s a line of people waiting to buy a home these days in New Hampshire,” she said.
“So, when you find yourself in a tough [financial] situation, you can literally flip your home
in weeks. The housing shortage is obviously not good for the state. But in a way, the shortage does provide a favorable environment for people to get out of financial trouble quickly.”
Other housing experts agreed that high real estate prices – caused by the acute supply-anddemand imbalance in New Hampshire – can both be both a curse and a blessing for some people facing financial difficulties.
High prices are a curse if homeowners can’t
keep up with mortgage payments, for whatever reasons, but an ironic blessing if they need to sell their homes quickly.
“People can get ahead if they can sell their homes fast – and maybe even pocket (an extra) $50,000 or so,” says Rob Dapice, executive director and CEO of the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority, known commonly as New Hampshire Housing.
But Dapice said that New Hampshire’s low foreclosure activity is ultimately a sign of an overall healthy and strong economy.
“The [low foreclosure] numbers are encouraging, but I would caution against complacency,” he said.
He noted that, among other things, a Federal Housing Authority mortgage insurance program is due to expire soon – and that could spell trouble for some financially struggling homebuyers in New Hampshire.
Meanwhile, others say they’re carefully monitoring bankruptcy filings as a potential harbinger of financial struggles ahead for homeowners –and those numbers aren’t exactly encouraging.
According to court data, bankruptcy filings of all types across the U.S. were up 11.5 percent through the first half of 2025.
New Hampshire’s bankruptcy filings were up an annualized 4.4 percent in the first half of 2025 – after seeing a 22.8 percent rise through all of 2024 and an 8.6 percent rise in 2023, according to court data.
Bankruptcy filings are still low by historic
standards, but they’re certainly not headed in the right direction.
Len Deming, a bankruptcy attorney at Deming Law Offices in Nashua, said he’s noticed increased activity on the bankruptcy front in the state – and thus on the foreclosure front as well.
“It’s not a huge uptick, but it’s been going up,” he said of bankruptcy-related activity.
Another economic statistic that Deming said he’s monitoring closely as a potential harbinger of things to come: U.S. consumer credit card debt, now at a record high of $1.2 trillion, amid rising delinquency rates.
Then there’s student loan debts – and the Trump administration’s plans to get tougher with borrowers by limiting their ability to declare bankruptcy, he said.
But as long as New Hampshire’s economy remains strong, most experts expect foreclosure activity to remain relatively tame.
Mike Skelton, president and CEO of the Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire, said the state’s housing market and strong economy are both playing a key role in keeping foreclosure activity low.
But he warned things could easily change, noting all the economic uncertainties facing the state and country, from inflation to tariffs to a softening labor market.
“Right now, our economy is performing relatively well,” he said. “Let’s hope it lasts.”
Email: jayfitzmedia@gmail.com
A recent analysis by real estate data firm Attom found New Hampshire had one of the lowest instances of foreclosure in the nation.
